


This girl has no name

by perawuat



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: American Revolution, Assassin's Creed 3, Assassin's Creed Rogue - Freeform, F/M, Het, SFW/NSFW scenes, Slow Burn, english is not my native language pls be kind with me, read for discover, some characters death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:15:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25089760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perawuat/pseuds/perawuat
Summary: 《 𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓻 𝓜𝓻 𝓙𝓸𝓱𝓷𝓼𝓸𝓷,𝓘𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓵𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻, 𝓭𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓫𝓮 𝓼𝓪𝓭.𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓲𝓼 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓪 𝓳𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓷𝓮𝔂. 》𝕎𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤: 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕤 𝕟𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕟𝕤𝕡𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕪 𝕙𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕠𝕣 𝕓𝕪 𝕦𝕓𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕗𝕥 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕠𝕨𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕪 𝕞𝕖, 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕚𝕤 𝕟𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕤 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕡𝕦𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕞𝕒𝕘𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕡𝕦𝕣𝕡𝕠𝕤𝕖𝕤 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕔𝕙 𝕠𝕗𝕥𝕖𝕟 𝕕𝕠𝕖𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕔𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕚𝕕𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕟 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕤.
Relationships: William Johnson (1715–1774)/Reader, William Johnson/Reader
Comments: 13
Kudos: 10





	1. A ship and an almanac

**Author's Note:**

> 𝔼𝕟𝕘𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕙 𝕚𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕞𝕪 𝕟𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕦𝕒𝕘𝕖 𝕤𝕠 𝕚𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕞𝕞𝕒𝕣 𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕤, 𝕕𝕠𝕟'𝕥 𝕓𝕖 𝕥𝕠𝕠 𝕔𝕣𝕦𝕖𝕝 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕖.  
> 𝕃𝕖𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕒 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕞𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕠𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕦𝕡𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕞𝕪 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕜 ❤️

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ❝ 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫-𝐅𝐨𝐱 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧...𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞? ❞

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**"When should the ship arrive?"** asked Mrs. Eisen as she absently sipped her tea. It was a normal morning in Boston at the Eisen house, not that the others were who knows what specialty. That city despite teeming with new travelers, however, remained a city full of settlers, who often went into the new continent with pretensions and not so high knowledge.  
Mr. Eisen sat at the head of the table while distractedly reading an ancient manuscript from his collection.  
**"I suppose the ship we've been waiting for months will cross Boston harbor early in the morning"** he replied, adjusting his eyeglasses.  
Silver Fox watched curiously the man who was over fifty seated at the head of the table, she absurdly gurgles the bread and then puts some jam in it.  
The man felt the gaze of the young daughter on himself and sighing almost exasperated he looked up at her.  
**"Tell me, What do you want to ask me this time, Silver?"** asked Mr. Eisen.  
**"Father, what does that ship carry?"** the girl asked as her eyes shone with curiosity. The man cleared his throat.  
Silver Fox was not his biological daughter, he had found her in the arms of a dying native, what he did was to tear the one born from certain death. He educated her as he said "like a perfect white and western woman" but it was obvious that the curious soul of Silver Fox was almost indomitable, despite 25 years of education.  
**"A lot of work in our hands, Silver. Otherwise nothing about you"** replied Mr. Eisen in his stoic tone, sipping tea. The girl sighed not satisfied and returned her gaze to her buttered bread and took a bite.  
**"You speak as if you don't know that one way or another Silver will find out what she wants, father"** said Mary, the second daughter.  
**"What can we do Mary, she's still a savage"** said Judith the first child with a poisonous smile, glancing at Rachel the third daughter.  
The Eisen family had three biological daughters. The latter had more or less welcomed Silver Fox. All but Judith, she had never admitted that a "savage" could be part of their family, rather she would have preferred that she belonged to the servants who were to serve her at every whim.  
**"If being wild means being thirsty for knowledge, I'm happy to be wild rather than being powdered all day long"** Silver Fox replied calmly, sipping tea with a small, confident smile.  
**"At least I'll be a good party for our family, but you won't be able to marry a bear either"** Judith replied tightly, clenching her fists and frowning.  
**"When your answers are less obvious and more intelligent then maybe I will take you into consideration"** said Silver Fox getting up from his chair **"But for the moment I will wait looking for some nice book to read"** she said smiling and raising an eyebrow when she saw Judith's face is painted in an expression of pure anger of those who have just tasted yet another bitter defeat. Silver Fox politely took his leave with his family and then left the dining room and headed for the main corridor that would take her to the exit of the Eisen villa.

It was a cloudy day in Boston that day. Although the locals didn't like our protagonist very much, she loved what she had to offer her from a cultural point of view. Silver Fox liked to approach the pier of the port or to the deserted beaches so as to be able to see in the distance imposing sailing ships approaching her city. Often those sailing ships brought books, spices and many other interesting objects from all over the earth, sometimes instead they were just drunken sailors looking for trouble.  
Although her father had not told her what the ship he was waiting for brought, the young woman could not help wondering what Mr. Eisen hid so much, because obviously if something is hidden or secret it is because it is precious, very precious.  
Such curiosity was fueled by the fact that the girl's father was an important pioneer in history. He loved to look for old treasures or new archaeological finds, to finance new research, as well as obviously to work in other tasks that allowed him the right money to maintain his passion. Mr. Eisen had a studio in his villa where Silver Fox secretly entered it a few times and each time was severely punished by the same father.  
She had never guessed why Mr. Eisen kept his study so private and impenetrable, but those few times she managed to get there she could see immense geographical maps hanging on the wall, ancient armor and weapons who know what primitive population, stuffed animals and jewels rudimentary as precious, accompanied by a packed library.  
It was obvious that Silver Fox in a paradoxical way was the only daughter who took an even too impertinent interest in her father's work affairs. But it was true that a woman if a good marriage could not do anything, also a detail that should not be overlooked was the fact that Silver Fox was a non-biological daughter and therefore in one way or another could not carry on the research of Mr. Eisen.

Opening the door of the Boston bookshop, Silver Fox entered the shop attracting the attention of the bookseller who, recognizing it, smiled amused.  
**"Here is the girl I was telling you about, Mr. Franklin, the only bookworm and daily client in Boston"** said the old man as he spoke with one of the most intelligent figures probably in the city.  
Benjamin Franklin looked up at the young girl, who bowed her head in a slight formal greeting. The man adjusted his glasses and looked as if he had seen her somewhere or perhaps he was waiting for a presentation from Silver Fox.  
**"I am Silver Eisen"** the girl never said her real name in full, her adoptive parents told her that she was not very western and would have raised suspicions in addition to her "no-white" traits.  
**"I have heard from my father that you are conducting experiments regarding electricity, you are a brave and intelligent man, I hope that you will soon publish your discoveries!"** the girl said with a touch of enthusiasm and a sincere smile. At that point Franklin as a true gentleman smiled at her.  
**"Ah you are one of Arthur Eisen's daughters, your father is a truly resourceful man. Forgive my brusque ways, but I have never seen you around the city unlike your sisters"** the man explained cordially .  
**"I prefer to travel between the pages of books than on foot. It is less tiring and more interesting"** she replied in a crystalline way, looking for some new book to be able to grab.  
The librarian seemed to sense it and with a displeased tone announced:  
**"I'm sorry, Miss Eisen, but I have nothing new for you today. You can come back in a couple of days if you want"** Silver Fox made a disappointed expression and then Franklin intervened.  
**"You know, I'm discussing with the bookseller in the press about my new almanac. Could you be interested in reading it before printing? You seem to me a very witty woman for your young age, I think the opinion of a young target is indispensable for the success of my book, young people must get closer to the future!"** the man said enthusiastically. Her eyes shone with emotion, had she heard right? Did Benjamin Franklin, the scientist, want an opinion from you for your almanac?  
**"I would say that ... you flatter me, Mr. Franklin, it would be a pity to refuse this offer!"**  
**"Excellent, you will find me this afternoon near the Boston warehouse, be careful young girl, Boston is full of bifolks who like to bother good women like you"** replied Franklin with a paternity veil, and then left and left the library.

══════ ∘◦❁◦∘ ══════

The early afternoon seemed to pass in a whisper since Silver Fox had come home.  
He was in the garden with some of his sisters, Rachel and Mary. One was admiring the maple leaves turning yellow and then falling to the ground, enjoying that silent afternoon, while Mary delighted in embroidery, occasionally pricking herself with the needle.  
Finally, Silver Fox was practicing with bow and arrows, from an early age the girl had shown an excellent talent in this practice, but she had never liked to go hunting with her father (not that he had ever invited her), but today his aim seemed to falter and even the sisters sensed it.  
**"You look like a cross-eyed today, Silver"** said Mary, laughing amusedly.  
**"Ever as much as you with the Mary needle, how many times have you pierced your fingertip? 1st times?"** Silver Fox asked with the same laugh.  
**"Only six times today, I'm improving"**  
**"Your embroidery will probably be so full of blood drops that it won't even be worth finishing it"** Rachel said, looking at Mary's _"masterpiece"._  
There was a moment of silence where Silver Fox took the opportunity to lay the bow with the arrows on the ground and reach the sisters under the maple.  
**"So? What happened to you? Were you able to impress a man?"** Mary asked and Silver shook her head smiling.  
**"Even better, do you know Benjamin Franklin?"**  
**"who?! The clumsy scientist who comes to get tea from our father?"** Rachel asked **"God of Heaven Silver! We had said a good party but not that you should marry an old stoned man"** said Rachel and then received a pinch on the arm from Mary.  
**"Moderate the language, Rachel"  
****"I'm not talking about a wedding, God! This gentleman asked me to read his almanac before I publish it, he wants to have my opinion!"** the two sisters looked at her as if she were speaking in some unknown language **"In short! a famous scientist who wanted me to read his book to give them an opinion! Maybe I will become his assistant or better still his pupil, his pupil or- "**  
**"Or he doesn't want to reread it and has left the heavy work to you"** said Mary, breaking the uncontrollable enthusiasm of Silver Fox that had led her to mumble.  
Mary had always been the most realistic, objective, perhaps a little too materialistic sister, even more so than Silver. Despite Judith being the first child, Mary has always acted like a second mother for both Rachel and Silver, the younger sisters.  
**"I don't think Franklin is so sneaky"** Silver said, trying not to admit that perhaps she had let herself get too involved in her relentless thirst for new books.  
**"Who knows, what we do know is that now you have to read a boring almanac of a boring old man"** said Mary with a chuckle.  
**"There may be news of your experiments!"** he tried to counter Silver.  
**"And does he show them to you? Woman and unknown? Mh he will also be a scientist but if he did he would be a naive man"**  
**"I'll find out just tonight at the Boston warehouse"** Rachel Mary's eyes widened.  
**"What did you say?!"** said Rachel.  
**"Why should you go to that place, alone and in the evening?!"** Mary asked.  
**".... For the book?"** Silver Fox asked puzzled.  
**"God in heaven, that old pig wants to take advantage of you I'm sure of it!"** Rachel said in alarm.  
**"What ?! No! It's just his lab"** Silver said in shock.  
**"Let's face it, our father will never let you out tonight"** said Mary, composing herself and returning to her embroidery.  
**"Not if you cover me"** said Silver with a smirk.  
**"Forget it"** they both said **"It doesn't exist, if they find us we'll spend our last days walled up living in the house...and then I don't want to have you on your conscience if you die on the street"** added Mary.  
**"Ok you're flying too much with your imagination, I'm going to get some water and sugar you've lost too much blood because of the needle and now you're babbling"** said Silver Fox with a mocking tone, sneaking into the house.  
**"How dare you ?! Bring respect to the older ones!"** Mary said, getting up to chase her and running the risk of tripping over her own skirt.

══════ ∘◦❁◦∘ ══════

**"Father, where are you going? Dinner is almost ready"** Judith asked, looking at the old man from the stairs. Mr. Eisen was putting on his jacket while a maid brought him the walking stick.  
**"Business"** said the man simply, the news then reached the ears of Silver Fox who was passing towards the salon at the time, would have been an excellent diversion.  
Meanwhile the man left the villa while Judith returned to his room puffing a **"But look if that old man can go out in the evening and instead I can't see my sweet Simeon"**  
Silver snorted exasperated, pathetic and obvious, how could she allow her life to revolve around a mean man?  
Without thinking further, the girl dressed and slipped from the secondary door into the garden. The raven-haired girl looked around fleetingly to prevent someone from the servitude catching her on the fact and climbing over the fence with an agile leap ( _despite wearing a long skirt_ ) began to run quickly through the streets of Boston with the hope of arriving first possible at Franklin's warehouse.  
Passers-by wondered why such an elegant girl should have so rashly stepped in front of everyone. That he had kept his beloved waiting? Or maybe an assassin wanted to kill her? No, there was something else at stake, perhaps a flash of light in that gray life of manners, money and inferiority of women and ethnicity. she wanted to be the best, she wanted to be much more than what her family required her to be and that damned almanac and her opinion would change her life, or so Silver hoped.  
A thought then electrocuted the raven-haired girl's mind, if she had traveled the main roads probably her father would have discovered her, so turning abruptly she entered the small secondary avenues, slipping between people and cutting the road to some passers-by who pulled them various curses.  
She was about to leave the narrow street when she had just flown over and ran into a young man who gave her a poisonous look.  
**"Hey! Look where you put your feet, woman!"** Charles Lee. An army officer, young and rather snooty, who often found himself talking to her father about military matters that were all too exalted, not even Eisen seemed to like that boy, but politics was still political.  
**"And you learn to get the women through first, Lee"** said Silver, continuing to run her way, leaving the young man with a furious expression.  
**"That naughty woman...one day I'll teach her to stay in her place"** Charles said, adjusting her shirt like a gentleman who clashed with his threatening tone.  
**"Do you know her?"** asked a man apathetically beside him.  
**"Silver Eisen. Adopted daughter of Arthur Eisen, the Boston pioneer. Nobody enters and leaves the city without him knowing"** explained Lee as a good soldier.  
**"I understand, it will be interesting to meet him tonight"** replied the unknown man calmly.

══════ ∘◦❁◦∘ ══════

**"I am here, Mr. Franklin, I apologize for the delay"** said the brunette, bending her legs and resting her hands on her knees to catch her breath, she had run half the city to get to that damned meeting point.  
**"Oh Miss Eisen, I was wondering where you ended up"** said the scientist, moving away from a mysterious device.  
**"So is this it? I mean your experiment?"** Silver Fox asked approaching the latter with curiosity.  
**"Exactly, isn't there a nice jewel? Even if it is still in a rudimentary state. This machine will be able to catch lightning, I'm sure"** Silver gave him a look full of amazement as if a comet or some star had passed before her mythological animal.  
**"And...you think it's rude if I asked you to participate in your future experiment"** Franklin sighed disappointedly.  
**"I can't conceal that it's dangerous if not deadly experiment, I don't want a young and resourceful life to be broken because of me** **..."** he replied observing the girl getting sorry sorry **"But! I can keep you updated with some letters, so when it is tested you can see it"** Silver resumed his smile.  
**"Thanks for your kindness. By the way, where's the almanac?"** she asked curiously. Franklin scratched his head in embarrassment.  
**"Here you see ... some rogues have robbed me today and...my almanac has been lost, I will have to rewrite it from scratch"** all Silver Fox's dreams fell like a sandcastle **"I wanted to warn you, but apparently it is it was faster for you to come to me than for me to write you a letter of apology"** Franklin explained, pointing to his desk where he was just writing.  
**"Don't worry sir ... luck hasn't been on our side today"** replied the hairy girl trying to suppress the bitterness in her words **"I think it's about time you got back to my home, I'm waiting for your news, Mr. Franklin"**

══════ ∘◦❁◦∘ ══════

The sun had fallen on the dark streets of Boston by now, the streets were empty as a desert and the sea breeze had cooled the air like the heart of the young Eisen who walked disconsolately towards her home. His mind was a storm in the open sea, relentless and furious, but also full of sadness and regret.  
She had run many perils to get to that damned warehouse and all she had gained was a handful of flies.  
Was it possible that fate was so cruel to her? The evening could not have been worse than that.  
**"Silver?!"** a familiar male voice called her back to her, in a street perpendicular to her right **"What are you doing out at this hour?"** the stoic but at the same time outboard tone of her father made her blood freeze in her veins and make her legs jelly.  
Silver turned slowly and what he saw was the father in the company of a group of younger men than him coming out of the " _Green Dragon"_ tavern.  
**"F-Father** **...."** she stammered not knowing what to say to justify herself.  
I correct myself, maybe there were other ways to make the evening even worse.


	2. Who wears the pants

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ❝ 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐫. 𝐄𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫-𝐅𝐨𝐱, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐮𝐬... ❞

══════ ∘◦❁◦∘ ══════

**"Father...I can explain to you, I went out for a good cause"** Silver tried to justify herself, but how could she? in her hand she had no concrete proof, nor a letter, anything but words in the wind.  
**"Good cause? God lighten me!"** swore Mr. Eisen almost losing his temper in front of his work colleagues, then cleared his throat and coughed adjusting his tie looked for a kind way to compose himself **"Do you have the faintest idea what time it is?"** he asked in his usual stoic tone which at times continued to overflow with pure anger.  
Silver remained silent at that point, she didn't have a watch with her and also the answer she would have given would have been only naively stupid. He took a quick look at the colleagues who were behind his father's shoulders, they were six men of certainly different ages but they were younger than Mr. Eisene and they did not exceed the past 40 years. Some looked away as a sign of respect or...maybe just out of pure embarrassment, some instead silently looked at the scene curiously and it was that Silver recognized the face of Charles Lee who gave her an amused look.  
Who knows how much the pig was having fun seeing Mr. Eisen scold her and humiliate her in front of everyone?  
**"Father, I can explain to you I went to the warehouse to..."** she tried to explain the raven-haired girl trying to stay calm, but the father interrupted her immediately.  
**"To the Boston warehouse?! What was a young girl doing in that abandoned place?"** asked the father, throwing out an exasperated breath.  
**"Wait father you have to believe me I went there for a job but-"**  
**"Silence Silver! I've had enough of you and your childish rebellious behavior! You are an adult woman and the more you grow with the years the more you give me the impression that your intelligence regresses"** Mr. Eisen's words broke her heart in a thousand pieces, as if a dart had pierced her chest, but had been popped behind her, taking her by surprise.  
The young woman felt the eyes of all her father's collaborators on her and this made this treatment even more humiliating.  
**"Now gentlemen, if you would like to apologize I would like to accompany my daughter home, you will understand that it is imprudent to leave an unarmed girl in Boston in the evening. Thank you for the pleasant and interesting evening, you will receive a letter from me for some confirmations"** and saying goodbye as a perfect businessman Mr. Eisen approached the figure of his daughter Silver and taking her by the arm tightened his grip on her slender body silently, reminding her that their conversation was by no means over.

 **"Do you have the faintest idea of what a ugly figure you made me do in front of my work colleagues?"** asked her father closing the doors of his study and going to sit on the desk. Silver Fox was standing in the center of the room, looking at him, it was the first time he had been in that study at the behest of Mr. Eisen, but he had always hoped that the reason for this was something positive and certainly not negative. She still decided not to answer.  
**"Those men are what I have worked for for years, looking and searching for what people did not see in books and apparently harmless places, and now that finally my work reaches a turning point you always come, like a bee you start to annoy to everyone and to ruin every project that I build"** explained the father dryly, clenching his fists on the desk.  
**"If I had been a man you probably wouldn't have said anything"** Silver commented in a poisonous tone, looking at his father in the eye.  
**"Don't misunderstand me daughter, just see, even a damned trained dog knows what his place is and he knows when he has to stop barking. You are not able to do either"** said Mr. Eisen getting up from his desk and moving forward dangerous to the dark-haired girl.  
**"That's because I'm not a damned dog, I'm your daughter and I have every right to do what I want!"** she said raising her voice and in response, her father, in response, gave her a strong slap on the cheek making her look away from the other side.  
He had dared to put his hands on her...Not only had he humiliated her in front of her colleagues, not only had he compared her to a dog, but he had also slapped her on the face.  
Silver had never seen her father in anger, but perhaps only then had she sensed why Mary and Rachel had warned her not to take Arthur Eisen's patience to the limit.  
**"Look at me Silver"** her father ordered, but she refused that time too, so the man grabbed her face with one hand, forcing her to look at him in his cold gray eyes **"From today on you will not get out of this mansion, not without my permission not without my knowledge. Show a bit of decency and maturity in what you do and maybe one day I will change your mind about you"** he told her with a tone that did not seem to want to receive objections, Silver Fox had thought for a moment that if she's not his step-daughter, Mr. Eisen would probably have killed or beaten her more.  
Her hands trembled with the horror of being touched in such a rude and anything but loving way, but she clasped them in two iron fists not wanting to show a modicum of fear towards that man so stoic yet so dangerous at times.

 **"Now go to sleep, and let the night help you do an examination of conscience"** the man ordered, returning to his desk, Silver-Fox bit his tongue to push the rhetorical question back into his sharp mouth. If she had had an examination of conscience.  
He turned on his heels and with a few strides, he came out of that damned study and closed the door. Only then did the dark-haired girl realize that she had held her breath and as if she had emerged from the darkest abysses she let out a long and agonized sigh, while her delicate right hand touched the part of the face affected by that slap, elusive and quick as a whiplash, he still pinched under his soft fingertips...  
Nobody...Silver repeated in her mind.  
Nobody would ever treat her like that again, she kept repeating herself almost as a further reproach rather than as a new mantra.  
If a woman could not defend herself with her hands, then she would defend herself with the cutting edge of the word, and never again would anyone be able to prevent her from expressing her opinion.  
She was not a trained dog, she was a woman, and if in the world there was still no right for her to have self-love and independence, then she would have taken it with her nails and teeth.  
A few tears descended on her face, but she made no noise, no one should have heard her cry, not even her father.  
She opened the door of her room, and entering it and then locking it, she prepared for a sleepless night.

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So no more than two days passed and Silver could not help but read, practice with the bow and look at the void.  
Not that the wealthy life was tiring, but for a free spirit like the young dark-haired girl all this was really the worst of torture...Mr. Eisen had also stopped her from going to help her mother shop for pure afraid that she was lying or she had double ends.  
Those days Silver-Fox didn't have many talks, just listened.  
She listened to her adoptive mother who explained to her for the umpteenth time how important it was to get married, her sisters who talked about the recent gossip since the latter had the opportunity to go out and also live a life outside the house

In short, if Arthur Eisen had planned to ruin her next months of life, he had succeeded...  
It was now evening, a rather breezy evening in Boston, the sea air intoxicated the rooms of Silver's villa while the latter had spent the day tidying up the garden, it was true that this task concerned the housekeepers, but at this point, the young girl no longer knew what to hold on to keep busy, and surely such actions could somehow paint her more positively in front of her adoptive father.

Placing her hands on her hips and sighing heavily from so much effort, Silver decided to go home, entering the door that overlooked the large garden and as soon as her thin figure peeped into the cozy living room she saw that the housekeepers were intent setting the table for dinner.  
So approaching she decided to steal a piece of bread for being too hungry, but she was immediately caught in the act by the housekeeper Gabrielle (as well as the nurse of all the sisters at an early age) who did not hesitate a second to slap her hand and drop the piece of bread in the same basket where the dark-haired girl had taken it.  
**"Ouch! Gabby, I'm hungry!"** Silver moaned like a child rubbing her hand.  
**"How many times do I have to tell you, Miss Silver? You don't eat before everyone is at the table and go and put on a suitable dress, it's not polite to wear trousers and shirt"** said the old woman, puffing in exasperation, as she saw the figure of the young twenty-year-old trotting around her with mockery.  
**"Come on Gabby don't treat me so badly, otherwise I won't have anyone who loves me in this world anymore"** said Silver pretending to whimper, getting an equally exasperated look from the old housekeeper.  
**"Bad luck to the man who marries you, he will have a lot to regret with a stubborn woman like you"** she commented as they both heard a sudden knock on the door.  
**"Ah it will be my father back, I'm going to open it"** Silver said as she tried to untie the bun she had done so as not to ruin her hair while she worked, letting the dark locks fall down her back.  
**"Wait miss!"** the housekeeper said, but the young girl had already pulled the knob towards her, opening the mighty wooden door.  
But instead of finding himself in front of the figure of his father Silver, he was faced with a group of well-dressed men, with a composed and elegant bearing. They looked familiar...thought the girl.  
**"Oh dear...Forgive gentlemen our Miss Silver is always so restless"** said the housekeeper reaching the brunette and with a little push to send her away from the door **"Now be a good girl and go and put on a nice dress, if your father saw you would go into a rage"**  
**"What's wrong with wearing pants?"** Silver asked irritably.  
**"That you are a woman and you have to wear a skirt"** Gabrielle scolded as she watched her go up the stairs.  
**"Well...it's always interesting to approach the young Eisen"** ironic commented the man who entered the villa first, watching the young woman disappear down the stairs with his gray eyes.  
**"Oh sooner or later, Master Kenway, she will give us a heart attack, but please let me take your coats and those of your colleagues"** said the housekeeper.  
  
Meanwhile, Silver-Fox was intent on knocking on the room of her sister Mary who was intent on styling her hair.  
**"Did you know there were guests?"** the brunette asked without too many words, while Mary stood on the threshold of the door amazed by the turbulence of her younger half-sister.  
**"Hi to you too, Silver. Anyway dad told us this afternoon, but don't worry it's just a boring business dinner, just keep quiet and let the adults talk"**  
**"I'm an adult Mary! And why doesn't anyone take me into consideration in this house?"** Silver asked crossing his arms to his chest going back and forth in the room of his elder sister, while the latter went back to styling her hair.  
**"Rather than complain, I would concentrate on how to dress, who knows why I'm not surprised that you got caught in these conditions in front of our guests..."** Mary commented, rolling her eyes.

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**"Do you think this dress makes me fat?"** Judith asked, looking at herself once again in the mirror next to the flight of stairs.  
**"If your brain got fat it would be even better"** commented Silver in a dull tone looking at his dress, hell how much he hated to dress feminine, so tight, colorful, and those necklines on the breasts so uncomfortable. According to her, there was nothing more beautiful than wearing a nice pair of trousers, together with a shirt with a bow and an elegant overcoat. Ah, why did the labels have to be so unnecessarily unbreakable?  
**"I think tonight I won't be able to help but laugh looking at you"** Rachel commented trying to hold back a laugh as she observed Silver in her utter discomfort.  
**"Let's forget this speech...I feel like a mummy, I feel my ribs pierce my lungs with this stupid corset..."** the brunette commented stunned trying to hold her breath.  
The four sisters were next to the flight of stairs on the ground floor, ready to make their entrance into the dining room, where their parents and their guests awaited them. Judith was the leader, then there was Mary, Rachel, and finally Silver, the youngest of the daughters.  
**"Please Silver, this is your rare chance to make a good impression on men and our father, try not to mess up all the plans"** Mary advised her in a low voice, before heading towards the populated room.

The young brunette took a few moments to observe the void absently and without even realizing it took a heavy breath. Nothing made her more tense than knowing that she should behave like a normal submissive and dull woman in front of strangers, she didn't care if that was what her family or etiquette wanted, it was really humiliating.  
Breathing in once more, Silver opened his eyes to make clear the blurred vision of those who think with open eyes and with a composed and steady step approached the dining room. The table had been set for many people and with her eyes flickering, the girl could recognize the young Charles Lee among the guests.  
Without even doing it on purpose she rolled her eyes, yes, that dinner would be really complicated to manage.  
**"Gentlemen, these are my beautiful daughters: Judith, Mary, Rachel, and Silver"** said Mr. Eisen introducing his girls in a polite and stoic way, Silver wrinkled his nose, he hardly looked like the old man who had slapped her in the face. face days ago.  
**"Daughters, these elegant gentlemen are my new co-workers: Master Kenway, Mr. Lee, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Hickey"**  
Silver-Fox stared at every man her father had listed, obviously, introductions were unnecessary for her, having seen her that goddamn night being scolded by her father. The last one she glanced at, Thomas Hickey, almost seemed to read her mind and in fact, threw her an amused smirk. The brunette at that point changed course in a very sharp way with her eyes, tsk who knows how much these men will have teased her without her knowledge.  
The dinner began in a completely calm way, every now and then his sisters told some boring anecdote, sometimes the mother asked Charles how he was inside the army and the latter strut in an almost embarrassing way for the tastes of the young woman dark-haired thought that at any moment she would fall asleep on her plate of roast beef until Mr. Eisen caught his attention.  
**"You will wonder gentlemen why I invited you to my humble mansion"** began the old man, elegantly drinking some dark red wine **"After the previous unpleasant incident, I thought it would be more appropriate to be able to meet here more often to discuss work, anyone who comes in to give annoyance to us will be greeted by my loyal hounds"** explained the latter stoically. Master Kenway elegantly wiped his lips with the towel and then cleared his throat.  
**"I really appreciate your kindness, Mr. Eisen. Surely meeting us here from time to time instead of in a busy tavern will be safer and more professional"** as dangerous as a slash in winter.  
**"Excellent, but by the way, did Mr. Johnson manage to recover what was taken from him in an unorthodox way?"** Mr. Eisen asked at this point. The man summoned nodded.  
**"Of course, we have the advantage of being supported by a team of crafty and crafty men, it didn't take long to restore order"** he explained in his deep, hoarse voice.  
Meanwhile behind Silver's ears the sisters were gossiping under their breath.  
**"Uh if only daddy had brought some young boys, not these boring old men"** Judith commented sideways, earning an elbow from Mary who looked at her with a venomous look.  
**"And then I should be the one who must remain silent"** said the brunette chewing a piece of meat with exasperation.  
**"And how's the research going?"** Arthur Eisen asked, taking another sip of wine.  
**"I'm afraid it's more difficult than expected, the artifact is written in the ancient Mohawk language"** replied Mr. Johnson.  
**"I can read Mohawk"** suddenly silence fell on the dining room and the guests' eyes turned to the figure of Silver who was calmly chewing his Roast beef. But when she realized that everyone present was staring at her, she stopped looking a little bewildered at the sisters and then at her father. Oh damn hell, _did she think aloud?_

 **"I beg your pardon, lass?"** William Johnson asked looking at her in amazement, but Silver's adoptive father was not long in getting in the way.  
**"Oh don't mind Silver, Mr Johnson"** he said in a subtly derogatory tone **"She likes to draw attention to herself in inappropriate moments"** he said looking at her with icy irises and the adopted daughter in response turned her gaze on her father's, scrutinizing him indignantly. _At inappropriate times? what had he impersonated her for? a jester? an acrobat? the village idiot?_ She didn't care if he walled her up alive in the house, she didn't care if he didn't let her read books anymore, she didn't care if they forced her to dress in ridiculous and pompous clothes just to get some rich man's attention and dull, Silver would not have turned off his voice, not tonight.  
**"You are confusing me with your daughter Judith, she always likes to make rude and unintelligent comments"** Silver commented making the respondent turn red with rage, while Mr. Hickey almost violently bit his cheek to keep from laughing.  
**"dare disrespect another person Silver, and this time I swear I will take away your right to even read a single book"** threatened Mr. Eisen as his tone became more and more corrosive.  
**"Do it, apparently it is one of your forbidden dreams to have dull and prejudiced daughters"** said Silver taking his goblet and mimicking a quick gesture of toast, drank his wine in one gulp, then got up and went out without saying anything else from the dining room and ignoring her father who was ordering her out of her mind to return to take her place at the table.

The guests observed the scene in amazement, even Master Kenway had raised his eyebrows even though his gaze remained stoic, Charles watched the young girl go out with indignation and muttering something misunderstood while Thomas tried to restrain himself as much as possible and what better excuse than to drinking?  
Mr. Johnson, on the other hand, was speechless by Silver's stubborn and proud demeanor and above all he had left him with too many question marks in his mind. _Could that girl really read Mohawk? Or as Mr. Eisen said he was just bluffing to get attention at an overly formal dinner?_  
_He had no choice but to dig the treacherous ground and find it out._


	3. Red leaves and old papers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ❝ 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞, 𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬.  
> 𝐀 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫-𝐅𝐨𝐱'𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. ❞

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What happened shortly after Mr. Eisen's guests decided to go home did not surprise Silver at all.  
All her books were placed in a trunk inside her father's large office, obviously, he had the key. As much as she knew she was standing up for her character, her situation was becoming more and more difficult to bear.  
The brunette girl spent most of her day out in the garden, if not to look after him, it was to feed her father's hunting dogs, if it wasn't to train with the bow, then Silver walked back and forth looking at the sky and letting yourself be carried away by the wind.  
Every so often Master Kenway and his colleagues showed up at the Eisen mansion to discuss work, and it was in those moments that she put her ear to the wall trying to overhear some disconnected phrase, and then run like a splinter when she heard the footsteps of the guests approach the door to leave after leaving. The closest room to hide was the kitchen, where Silver sneaked in pretending to eat something and got a few slaps on the neck from Gabrielle, the old housekeeper.  
One thing Silver-Fox had noticed, however, was that whenever his father's colleagues were preparing to leave his home, William Johnson would always look towards the kitchen, as if he knew he was finding the young girl there and crouching down in a with a slight bow of greeting, he gave her a royal smile and then turned and disappeared into the front door.  
She did not know why that man gave her so much kindness in a simple gesture and yet she knew that his intent could not stop only at this. Intelligent people never do and never take anything for granted, _nothing is due to chance, but to causality._

It took a few weeks for the waters of that monotonous lake to start moving. The quiet of that captivity was broken when after one of the many usual days, Silver decided to lock herself in her room after having dinner and while she was intent on undressing her uncomfortable clothes and getting ready for the night, she realized that something was different in that room. In fact, from the reflection of her mirror she noticed a book on the desk behind her, and turning around, she approached curiously to study it. It wasn't hers, it was too old and dusty.  
The book was hand-stitched in dark leather and on the cover was written "Atlas Nouveau" by Guillaume Delisle. The girl then began to leaf through the book with haste and immediately noticed with her heart galloping with emotion that the book contained geographical maps, and curiosities about travels of all kinds, it was printed but inside some pages, there were notes marked by the ink of a fountain pen. Notes that indicated some positions within the maps, sometimes points in the middle of the vast oceans, that perhaps something mysterious was hiding in those places, some island to discover? But happiness like that of a child on Christmas day soon ended in the heart of the brunette.  
Who had given her that book? Her father certainly not. The sisters? Maybe Mary could know something about it? After all, she could be the only sister with an ounce of love for her ... but to the point of giving her something?  
Too many questions and doubts in the heart of the young girl, who decided to sit on the bed with the books on her legs, well no one would have disturbed her while she was reading at such a late hour.  
So after lighting a dim candle she lay down comfortably starting to devour the pages of that mysterious book.

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The following days were certainly a breath of fresh air for the young girl, on various points of view. That book was just a normal pile of old pages, it was a new adventure and above all it was now in her thoughts to figure out who the mysterious courier who had brought her the book was.  
Yet despite having barricaded herself in her room for three days in a row, no intruder knocked on her door, maybe he knew the girl's strategy? Then it could have been one of the house, but who? Her father certainly not, her mother? Meh ... that woman has never had a particular interest in her person, except to indoctrinate her in the cult of marriage. Her sisters? perhaps Mary, Rachel, and Judith were just spending their days spreading their thighs for the richest, most pompous males in Boston.  
Ah...what a complicated puzzle, Silver needed to get some fresh air in the garden, maybe so she could clear up her thoughts.  
She walked down the stairs in a boring way while tying her long hair, now that she thought about it he would surely have to shorten it a little, the long and dark locks like coal were now halfway up and it was becoming difficult to tie them. While she was wandering in her thoughts, Gabrielle, the old housekeeper opened the front door to her father's colleagues, it had been a few days, maybe six, since the last time she had seen them roam around the house, and yet they seemed to her...increased? There were two new men with them, but unlike the previous four they didn't seem to have that extra charisma or originality that had captured Silver's interest.  
The girl leaned lightly against the wall, in order to let them pass, it was obvious that they were going to Arthur Eisen's office and while she cast a vague look at everyone, her dark eyes met with the indigo ones of Mr. Johnson who gave her a kind look in greeting that for some absurd reason, Silver did not return, it was rare that someone deigned to a little courtesy.  
She was sure that sooner or later she would be able to behave like a good lady, but she wouldn't bet much on it.  
Now the thing that mattered most to her was being able to go overhear something at the door of her father's study, hoping that this time she would be able to grab some succulent detail.  
She took off her shoes and quietly walked step by step towards her goal.  
 **"Miss Eisen"** Gabrielle called back, arms to her chest, exasperated.  
 **"Come on Gabby! Hold the game!"** whispered the brunette complaining.  
 **"You will also be 25 years old but you are still the pestiferous little girl who played in the puddles when it rained"** Gabby commented in a reproachful tone, hiding a tender laugh, however, that young Eisen was the little girl she had been most attached to, since the family did not give her never enough love and attention, she could never be mad at her.  
Silver let out a brash smile as she slowly reached the prized wooden door of her father's office, placing her ear on it so she could listen.  
She didn't understand much but Master Kenway's voice had mentioned a certain Master ... Bird? Birch? Birges? Too muffled the sound to understand, maybe he was one of the two new colleagues, or maybe he was the gentleman who funded the research they were working on, plus she'd heard the mention of an ... amulet? But sadly her inspection had to stop as someone approached the door and as if the young woman had become a hare, she ran off like a pedard down the stairs flying into the kitchen where Gabrielle was peeling some potatoes.  
 **"If I were you, Miss Eisen, I'd use a less noisy escape"** the housekeeper suggested, laughing.  
 **"Sssh! They're coming down, better get out of the yard or they'll suspect who knows what!"** Silver whispered trying to get out of the kitchen quickly and as soon as she entered the door she clashed clumsily with one of the men who had just come down who grabbed her by the side to keep her from falling.  
 **"Let me tell you, Miss Eisen, you have the delicacy of a tornado on a cornfield sometimes"** said the stoic voice of Master Kenway who gently released her side as the latter tried to back away.  
 **"I'm sorry, I was in a hurry"** she tried to justify himself.  
 **"It doesn't surprise me"** the man's lips stretched into a smile, was he making fun of her? Silver decided to answer further, so she turned on her heels and went off to the garden.  
 **"Miss!"** Gabrielle scolded her. **"You need to say goodbye to your guests before you leave!"** but the girl pretended not to hear and trotted off.  
 **"What a spicy personality, it seems that she is not even afraid of old 'Afam"** said Thomas with his heavy Irish accent.  
 **"Ah well, at least she apologized, last time she drank a glass of wine and left"** Hatham commented ironically, turning with his colleagues to the opposite door.

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After spending half a day improving her archery, the young Silver decided to be pervaded in that practice too. Her mind was neither clear nor focused. She could not get out of her head the thought of who was the mysterious person in the book that had been left on her desk, evidently the only way to appease her impetuous soul was to investigate, like a good truffle dog, during the hunting period.  
So leaving her equipment on the porch, Silver walked back home to the villa with a rather heavy and dangling step, as if she didn't know where she wanted to go, until her lively ears caught the all too familiar whines.  
 **"What do you mean we can't go to the ball ?!"** Judith said in her shrill, spoiled voice.  
 **"You heard me, Judith. You and Rachel have a fever..."** Mary said firmly. The voice came from the great living room and Silver, with a soft step, decided to approach and peep out, immediately attracting the attention of Mary, who exasperatedly placed her hands on her hips.  
 **"Silver, I never thought I'd say it, but I need your help"** she said, and then raised a hand in the direction of her younger sister, so as not to let her into the room **"Please don't enter, or you will be infected too, these two idiots have infected each other"** explained the girl pointing to Rachel and Judith, pale and with a fiery red nose and cheeks.  
 **"How is that possible? It's not flu season"** commented Silver scratching the back of her neck in perplexity, Mary sighed heavily.  
 **"Judith had sex with that idiot of...of...ARGH what's that guy's name?"** Mary asked impatiently, glancing at Judith, who returned angrily.  
 **"Simeon! His name is Simeon"**  
 **"Oh sorry if I stayed in the name of Byron! If you didn't beat all the wealthy scions in Boston, you wouldn't be like that now!"** Mary finally said leaving the living room, taking Silver under her arm in the meantime **"I asked Gabrielle to call Dr. Israel, the housekeepers will take you to your rooms isolating you to avoid further contagions. You Silver, come with me. I have something in mind that will be able to turn the tables on the table"** her sister explained, earning a shocked expression from the brunette asked.

The girls settled in Mary's room, who took refuge in the imposing wooden doors of her wardrobe desperate for something probably very important.  
 **"Tell me what's going on, Mary?"** Silver-Fox asked sitting down on her sister's slightly pompous bed, looking at her like a child lost in the crowd of a great metropolis.  
 **"Ok I know it's not your style, but apparently, as our dad always says, the father of understanding sent us some good signs"** the brunette couldn't help but let out an amused laugh at the unusual words of the older sister.  
 **"Mary, since when are you a religious and devoted girl? I thought you cared about embroidering and making clothes"** replied Silver not understanding and earning a slap on the shoulder of Mary.  
 **"I'm not religious, I wanted to seem erudite like our father, even if I don't have the faintest idea what God he is talking about, maybe it's one of those strange totems he found as a young man in Aztec temples?"** Mary explained but began to divert attention from what she was saying.  
 **"Did you take me to your room to start a theological discourse Mary?"** Silver then asked with an amused smile.  
 **"No, not at all. I was saying, Me and those two geese of our sisters, we had to go to a ball tonight, very, very important"** explained the older sister throwing various dresses out of the closet, hoping to find what she was looking for.  
 **"So then?"**  
 **"This ball, not a common one, will preside over the highest figures in Boston, would be an excellent opportunity to find a good party to get married with"** Silver rolled her eyes rubbing her temples.  
 **"This thing is becoming an obsession, you will become spinsters if you weigh it so much"** the brunette told her, only to earn a slightly sad look from Mary.  
 **"Silver, you are barely twenty, but Rachel and Judith are approaching the threshold of thirty. Do you realize we will be shunned by society if we do not get married?"** the sister's words stopped the younger girl's amused smile, who saw a bit of weakness and humanity in Mary's eyes **"Maybe for you...it's not important, but for me it is. I want to bring honor to my family, I want, I want to make my father and mother proud"** explained the girl, playing nervously with her hands.  
 **"what are you saying, Mary? Our father and our mother adore you, you are probably the girl with the most qualities and talents in this family. You shouldn't fear anything"** Silver explained, distractedly helping with the edges of her shirt.  
 **"Our father is..no matter how wise and rich he is a fool...He never knew how to unite us as sisters and he paid attention to wrong matters. Instead of...locking you up and discrediting you, he should encourage you, Silver you are...the only one who can guide her legacy, you've studied any damn book here in Boston, she should be proud of you...and she should pay more attention to me and our other sisters too. You think it's normal that Judith and Rachel indulge in men without even thinking about it? This will never fill the lack of love that our parents didn't give us..."** Mary explained biting her lip, trying not to give in too much to the emotions, but her voice was shaking and for once the brunette could read the perspective picture of an entire life differently, thanks to her older sister. It was all so wrong, no, Arthur Eisen was wrong...  
 **"Have you ... You've lost your thread again, Mary"** Silver said with a small smile, as she got out of bed and came over to gently hug her sister, who without even hesitating slapped as much as she could to her body.  
 **"Right, well...This dance could be the right opportunity to redeem your position...and mine too. If you manage to find a man who gives you sweet eyes or who appreciates your company, our father it could finally get you out of the house and at least make you free"** Mary explained drying her slightly damp eyelashes **"Come with me, Silver. I'm sure my plan won't fail this time and then"** Mary chuckled amused **"You might find some handsome man"**  
 **"When that happens, I will already be buried in some forgotten tomb in this uncharted continent"** commented the brunette, rolling her eyes, her and the wedding? Nah, a divorced couple.  
 **"Melodramatic"** the elder said back and then went away to look for a dress in her own **"Now let your dear older sister do it, I'll take care of you and that poultice of our father"** she said with a satisfied and accomplice tone.

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It was now evening for Boston and Mary was busy putting the finishing touches on her younger sister's dress and hairstyle. Silver felt like a doll at the mercy of a spoiled child, yet Mary had promised her that she wouldn't be too pompous.  
Silver-Fox's long hair fell soft and wavy all over her back until it touched the skirt of the dress, which was made of cream-yellow silk and cotton, covered with embroidered flowers, the neckline was not vulgar, a clean horizontal cut appeared just before the breast, hiding it completely, while the sleeves were narrow and long up to the wrist, and then opened into a long and soft fan with white lace underneath.  
The older sister looked at her for one last time and enthusiastically putting her hands to her mouth smiled like a super excited child, evidently, she was satisfied with her work.  
 **"You are charming! If no man will dare to approach you tonight, well then they will all be fools"** said the girl going to finish her make-up, the brunette meanwhile looked in the mirror as if something did not convince her.  
 **"Ah well at least my skirt doesn't have too many layers, now that I think about it I think I only have two ... I have to admit you did a great job Mary"** admitted Silver looking again **"Do you have any bachelor in mind to catch tonight?"** she asked then giggling amused.  
 **"I hope he's at least a young gentleman, you?"**  
 **"I just hope he leaves me alone"**  
 **"Oh Silver, you are really incorrigible"** Mary commented rolling her eyes **"Come on let's go or we'll never get there in time"** she said, getting out of bed and leaving the room with her sister. The two were now at the entrance, taking their coats when their father's voice rang out from the living room.  
 **"Silver, where are you going?"** the man asked grimly.  
 **"Didn't I tell you? They invited Silver and me to the Boston Ball"** Mary replied vaguely. The man looked slightly perplexed.  
 **"Did they invite Silver? To a ball?"**  
 **"Yes, Judith and Rachel have a fever, so I can't go there alone, I've decided that Silver could accompany me"** continued her sister putting on her gloves, while Silver watched in silence, not even turning a glance to the man sitting on the sofa and with a pipe in his hand. There were moments of silence, an overwhelming and tense silence that was broken by the old man.  
 **"Behave in a human way Silver, I have no doubts about you Mary"** him answered and then go back to smoking in a gruff way, the two sisters without having to repeat it one more time then, they decided to leave the great mansion, without further prolonging the discussion.

The air was quite cold, it was obvious that there was a change of season at the gates and Silver didn't mind at all, it meant that she could go and see the port of Boston with the stormy sea ... if her father had allowed her. Maybe Mary was not completely wrong, this Ball could have become the last ticket for the train, to the _"freedom"_ destination for the young brunette. On the other hand, she had to make small sacrifices in life to get what she wants...  
 **"I can already hear the music in the distance, I can't wait to dance"** Mary admitted, fixing her strawberry blonde hair.  
 **"I hope you can dance better than you embroider"** Silver-Fox commented, unable to contain a small laugh, while her sister nudged her lightly.  
 **"You have such a sharp tongue, try to sweeten yourself if some man comes to talk to you or woo you"** Mary advised as they approached their destination, noticing some parked carriages.  
 **"I can't promise"** admitted the other sister with a sincere sigh, and then looked at the big villa **"Ah so the Ollivander family gave the party"** Silver said questioningly, while her sister nodded.  
 **"That's right, you know, their daughter Domitillah always loves to surround herself with people while she plays the piano and sings"** Mary explained to her with a smile.  
 **"Too bad that when she does it is out of tune like a bell ... for once we are pardoned, with all this noise we won't even hear it- OUCH !!"** the brunette swore when Mary gave her a hard slap on the back.  
 **"Now be quiet, don't do nonsense and behave well with the guests. Was I clear, troublemaker?"** the strawberry blonde asked.  
 **"Yes ma'am"** replied Silver-Fox, looking up as if he hadn't heard anything.

After giving the invitation cards to the stoic butler of the house and having kindly entrusted their coats to his responsibility, the two sisters entered the crowded corridor that awaited them as soon as they entered the structure, people were drinking expensive alcohol there. who: chatted, who played chase, who performed some embarrassing performance...in short, the usual parties that Silver hated.  
All she needed was that the idiot who would ask her to give her a dance was an incompetent who just wanted to put his hands like a rich drunk on her butt, but the young brunette was sure that if that happened, she would smash a crystal glass in the face.  
 **"Oh dear"** Mary said softly, stopping as if speaking in a low voice in the chaos was the best tactic for not being heard or noticed.  
 **"What?"**  
 **"Ronald Abelson, in all his splendor and unaccompanied"** said the strawberry blonde, lightly tightening her hand on her sister's arm, who glanced unenthusiastically at the young man who was drinking his wine in an impeccably elegant way.  
 **"Seriously? In short, he's such a megalomaniac ..."** Silver-Fox commented, looking amused at the pouting face of her older sister.  
 **"It's not true he's just very charming. Do you think I should ... go talk to him?"** the girl asked nervously adjusting her dress.  
 **"Yes, but ... if I were you I would try to understand what he likes before launching an immediate attack ... Maybe ask him to give you a dance, it's a simple and effective way to charm a man"** explained the brunette earning a perplexed look.  
 **"Silver Eisen and this wisdom about men where did you get it from? I thought they were repulsive to you"** Mary said with a chuckle, while Silver tried to compose herself vaguely.  
 **"Believe it or not, my dear Mary, I am a keen observer, if you have to defeat such a stupid beast you must know which are its weak points were to launch a frontal and lethal attack"** explained the girl with a superior and very confident.  
 **"You are such a boaster, Silver, but I think in the future the man you meet will also be able to launch a lethal attack on your acid armor and precocious maid"** the brunette at that point gave Mary a light push, giggling slightly at hers. words.  
 **"Now go, before some mindless goose gets your awesome Ronald"** she said waving to her older sister.

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The world around Silver revolved as if she were a stone and the rest around her seemed to be an explosion in constant motion, but nevertheless that chaos could not touch her, could not hurt her and could not disintegrate her. She felt wrapped in an invisible envelope, a ghost that wandered lost in the crowd of amused and dancing guests. The music sounded cheerful, yet the brunette could only hear part of it, as if her ears were miles away from the source.  
The young Lass was leaning against the comfortable wall of the great ballroom, where some couples including Ronald and Mary were dancing a ballet not too demanding and lively, those super careless group ballets that with all respect did not like Silver at all- Fox.  
The air had begun to get hot and humid, while his throat was dry, maybe he really needed to get some fresh air, or sit in a secluded place with the hope that...well overly excited couples wouldn't occupy her hiding place with the intention of spending a wild night.  
Thinking of this, the body of the Brunette began to slip away from the room, bypassing those who interrupted her path like a draft of wind, graceful but determined to move the intruding bodies with their hands. As soon as she passed the corridor that led to the courtyard, Silver found a wooden door ajar and without getting too noticed the girl slipped inside, then closing the wooden door and savoring the feeling of hearing even less the noise of the din of that party. Reopening her eyes from that moment of relief she realized that she was in a small greenhouse, no bigger than an ordinary bedroom, the roof was not wooden like the rest of the house, the walls and ceiling were made of enough glass. rough and tarnished by various bad weather, while on the common walls there were several climbing plants that partially removed the view of the external garden.  
Suddenly Silver heard a slight cough, probably to get her attention and he probably succeeded as the girl's body jumped as if she had had a powerful sob. The girl's almond-shaped and dark eyes darted cautiously throughout the greenhouse until she found a man sitting on a wooden bench watching her with an expression that at first glance the girl could not guess. Maybe he was a little annoyed? Or maybe amused by her reaction?  
 **"I'm sorry I didn't think ... you were here"** Silver-Fox tried to say, clearing his throat slightly in awe.  
 **"There's no need, Lass. Stay if you want"** the mysterious man told her in a calm, warm voice...he was familiar, had she already seen him perhaps? In the library? On the streets of Boston? At the port?  
 **"Do you give me your word that my presence will not disturb you?"** the brunette therefore asked absently adjusting her sober but also a little uncomfortable dress.  
 **"I suppose meeting you again is the lesser evil of all this staging, Lass"** the man answered in an amused tone, rising from the bench and reaching her to be recognized. He had certainly guessed that the partial darkness of the greenhouse did not guarantee the full view of those insides, yet that man had had the cunning of knowing Silver only from his voice. Some moon rays muffled by the slightly misted glass illuminated the face of the stranger and it was at that moment that a bewildered expression mixed with a slightly astonished smile was printed on Silver's face.  
 **"Mr. Johnson?"** she said incredulously **"What brought you to this pompous and gaudy party?"** she asked ironically at that point. The man adjusting his sumptuous robe raised an amused eyebrow, but hid it flawlessly.  
 **"I think I should ask you this question"** he commented, observing her minutely.  
William took the time to observe what the moon showed on Miss Eisen's young face, her soft dark hair fell softly on her cheeks and shoulders, no clips or complex hairstyles, as indeed her face, colored only from a light pink veil of pigment on her lips, no over-the-top makeup, and the absence of somewhat vulgar necklines could make Mr. Johnson think only one thing at the time, that girl was a sour note in that noisy symphony of vice and hypocrisy.  
 **"You are a very perceptive man for having recognized a voice you have listened to for a few moments in one unpleasant occasion, try to guess how I got here"** the brunette suggested, crossing her arms over her chest, curious about what he had said the man at that moment. Mr. Johnson put a few fingers under his chin playing with his thick dark beard, he was thinking.

 **"I suppose your father put you in detention after that night. Or somehow forbade you from leaving the mansion, but you are too rebellious a Lass to listen to the words of a poor old man. So my instincts lead me on. to conclude that you ran away from home to come and have some fun at this Ball. But ... you cannot enter without an invitation so to avoid the butler you have snuck here, in the room closest to the secondary exit, from where you are entering"** had that man really been able in such a short time to come up with such an erudite and complex answer, however wrong it was? **"But there is one thing that escapes me ... you don't seem like a Lass who loves worldly circles, so I assume that this greenhouse is the meeting place where you wanted to spend the night with a young scion"** Silver's mouth opened a little skeptical, by any chance she had given the idea of being a girl of easy virtue?  
 **"I'm sorry, you are wrong"** she replied with a very presumptuous smile **"Especially for the second part, you see Mr. Johnson, although I am a woman and young, I don't need to surround myself with dull and rich men to feel special"** she explained raising a few millimeters to the chin as a sign of superiority which William greeted with a light laugh.  
 **"Don't be so touchy, Lass. At your age it happened to me too, I think that even if it was true, there is nothing to be not very proud of, they are life experiences"** he explained, tilting his head, not being able to help but smile to see a slight pout in the face of Silver-Fox **"Anyway, if I was wrong I apologize, why are you here?"**  
 **"I needed to clarify the idea, I accompanied my sister to this Ball but ... I suppose it wasn't a particularly effective idea, but on the other hand, I didn't have a wide range of choices to inspire"** she replied and then leaned a hand on the shoulder of the man who initially stiffened like a maple trunk **"I'm sorry, I needed support where I can take off my shoes without losing my balance, I'm afraid that if I still wear them they will have to amputate my feet"** she explained with pretending to be a melodramatic lass, only to put down her shoes next to the bench, not before having pulled a sigh of relief out of her soft lips.  
William was astonished at first glance, his indigo eyes remained silent and fixed to observe every slightest movement of her while reflecting that in all his almost 40 years of life he had never seen a woman behave in such a ... spontaneous way? Perhaps it is the word for spontaneous Silver-Fox Eisen definition.  
 **"You men are lucky to wear boots, they are certainly more comfortable than what a woman has a duty to wear"** the girl commented with a small laugh and then sat on the wooden bench, a gesture that was copied by William himself who sat down at his side but with some space away.  
 **"I wish I could agree with you, but I think I can never have the unfortunate episode of wearing shoes for women"**

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The two were apparently having a pleasant conversation, and Silver was particularly surprised, no man had ever proposed to her, without any need to quarrel.  
But their friendly chat was interrupted by a slight and disturbing din from the ballroom.  
Of course, when Mr. Johnson and Silver went out of the greenhouse slightly perplexed, they did not expect to see the young Mary on the ground, who had twisted her ankle and apparently judging by how hard she was getting up, she must have particularly bad.  
Mr. Johnson along with Ronald's help helped the brunette's sister stand up and walk her to the exit, while Silver induced the rest of the crowd to keep dancing and kindly do business now.  
The two " _couples_ " came out of the large Ollivanders' villa, while the girl with strawberry blond hair complained in pain.  
 **"I'm so sorry Mr. Ronald ... I didn't want to ruin your evening it's still so early, you definitely wanted to keep enjoying yourself"** Mary said trying to suppress her tears of pain.  
 **"You don't have to apologize Miss Eisen. Only a fool would have left you abandoned to your agony"** he replied very kindly, calling her carriage with a gesture **"And then it is I who apologized ... I accidentally slipped you, surely the butler must have spent too much wax on that floor"** said the young noble smiling to make Silver's older sister lift up, who in fact returned the smile **"Come with me, I'll take you to the doctor in Boston, he will be able to take care of you"**  
 **"Oh but...I can't leave my sister alone..."** Mary said excitedly, but her younger sister gave her a reassured expression.  
 **"Don't worry, you know me, I know how to take care of myself, I'll inform our father of the accident"** answered Silver, at that point the injured could not help but nod, it was obvious that the excruciating pain was prevailing over her duty and composure.  
 **"Perfect, uh uh...pay my respects to Mr. Arthur, Miss Eisen"** said Ronald after entering the carriage with Mary, then leaving.

The young brunette watched the horse-drawn vehicle gallop quickly towards an unknown horizon, she let out an apprehensive sigh that condensed in the cold air, as she tried to put her hands in her pockets given their excessive sensitivity to the elements.  
 **"Well ... I didn't expect Mary to have a ride home so ... unexpected"** the girl commented almost to herself.  
 **"Did you doubt the kindness of young Abelson?"** Mr. Johnson asked amused, crunching his untrained arms to lift the dead weight of a body. The damsel turned and looked at him for a few moments, it had all happened so quickly that for a while she had forgotten the gentleman's presence.  
 **"Not at all, Mary is much more charming than me. But I had always imagined a romantic and a little Shakespearean ride in a carriage"** admitted Silver with a chuckle.  
 **"Well, the charm is very subjective, as indeed everything that can be a person"** commented Johnson in an enigmatic tone observing the girl, who turned her back to him again, intent on adjusting her cloak. There were a few moments of silence, dictated by the uncertainty of what the girl had in mind to do; it was true, she knew how to take care of herself, but at night what could she do to defend herself if some rascal attacked her? Yet her pride always took the longest step.  
 **"Well, Mr. Johnson. It was really out of order evening, but I appreciated your chat. I wish you a less eventful and more relaxing evening"** said the girl starting to walk on her way, making her jump. man a few steps away from her who began to reach her.  
 **"Wait! Where are you going? It is imprudent to go alone at night"** he said instinctively, approaching a hand towards the girl's arm, but realizing that perhaps he was exaggerating and had to compose himself, he decided to withdraw that action, approaching only a few steps ahead of her **"Allow me to ... accompany you and then ... you still had to finish telling me how that novel you read long ago ended"** he continued with a small gentle smile, offering her an arm to lean on. Silver was surprised at first glance, but immediately broke up for a few moments, it was obvious that Mr. Johnson was doing it to have his conscience right. Just pure gentleman duty.  
 **"I accept it only because if I sprain my ankle I will have someone who can support me"** she said smiling gently, taking him by the arm and starting to walk.  
William chuckled in a warm tone, that girl was really pestiferous.  
 **"I am delighted to tell you that you have such a slim build that even if you fall off a cliff, I could catch you"** he replied, observing her.  
 **"This statement of yours warms my heart"** the brunette said with irony in turn, observing the starry sky. The stars decorated it like diamond dust on a piece of sapphire velvet fabric, the air whirled slowly, while in the semi-peripheral landscape of Boston there was an almost inhuman silence, if not interrupted by some symphony of nocturnal birds.  
Time seemed to have stopped while William and Silver chatted in an interesting way, telling each other some amusing anecdote, or listening to the man tell about some of his little adventures before arriving in the American colonies.  
Talking, joking, laughing and imagining, these notes made up a picture of tranquility that the girl was savoring as a child did with a lemon and pine nut cake. It had been a long time since Silver had felt compelled to attack someone with her sarcasm, for once she had decided to lay down her claws and make some friends but not too granted purrs.  
The chat slipped so fast like oil on the water that when the brunette realized she had now arrived at her mansion, a slight knot showed itself in all its discomfort at the height of her intestine, causing her to make an annoyed grimace on the face, which William did not see.  
 **"The train has come to an end, I suppose"** said Mr. Johnson, lightly theatrically, slowly releasing young Eisen's arm.  
 **"You suppose? Do you have any other secret goals for me?"** Silver asked ironically, placing a hand on the massive white wooden door of his house, hesitated to knock.  
 **"I'm afraid that for now, the train will stop here, if you give me some time I'll try to widen the railway"** William replied, hitting a small smile under his thick dark brown beard.  
 **"It will take the time I guess"** she said then, holding up that little staging.  
 **"If you have money and a good project, time will be short, and I believe I have both."**  
 **"Oh you are a man who sins of presumption, Mr. Johnson"** she commented, laughing spontaneously, almost wanting to provoke him without any malice, the man in fact raised both eyebrows and put his hands in his pockets he said moving away from a few steps:  
 **"Remember, Miss Eisen, if one has big plans one must always be presumptuous"** said the man as he set out on his way, leaving the young damsel for a few moments still at the door with a look, lost? intrigued? Who knows? What Silver-Fox had realized was that this man was different from all the other gray shapes in Boston, surely he was hoping in the depths of his heart to be able to have other interesting conversations about: stories, travels, and mysterious places.  
She knocked on the door, but it wasn't Gabrielle who opened it, but Arthur Eisen.  
 **"Father"** said Silver, feeling his soul freeze again. The man watched him for a few moments.  
 **"Silver"** he said stoically **"Where is Mary?"** he asked in an inquisitive tone.  
 **"Mr. Abelson took her to the doctor, Mary has slightly hurt her ankle"** explained the young woman trying to sweeten the pill **"I suppose they will arrive late at night"**  
 **"I understand"** the old man said, making her go through the door and allowing her to enter the warm and welcoming walls of the mansion **"I saw that you came back with a man"** her adoptive father told her, while she was intent on going up the stairs.  
 **"I'm sorry you had to see me instead of my sister on the horizon"** she whispered sarcastically, as the man took a deep pull on his pipe.  
 **"I'll pretend I didn't hear you, I'm just surprised that a savage girl like you managed to attract the attention of a man with a noble soul"** where did that greedy man want to go?  
 **"If that was a compliment, thank you"** Silver said, trying not to heed the old man's poisonous and tactless words. **"Goodnight, father"** she said then before going up to her bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SMALL NOTICE: I have corrected all the errors at least apparently present in this chapter. I truly apologize with all my heart if this reading was a little pleasant and smooth. Unfortunately English is not my native language and therefore I tend to rely on google translate which apparently does not do its job correctly.  
> I hope despite this pleasant mix-up continue to support me


	4. The ballad of the convoy

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 **"...And so we exchanged an affectionate kiss"** Mary concluded with a satisfied smile as Silver drank her tea. It was exactly the morning after the Ball in which she and her sister had attended, Mary and Mr. Abelson had spent all night in the doctor's office, the young boy seemed to have been by her side for the duration of the visit and the hospitalization, the two they had returned to the Eisen mansion around five in the morning, as tired as two stockfish and the strawberry blonde after a light nap decided to shut up with her sister in the dining room in the late afternoon to have tea and gossip a little. This practice was particularly unfamiliar to Silver, who had simply listened to the whole story of the evening by nodding or raising her eyebrows in the most succulent moments.  
**"And you?"** Mary finally asked eating a chocolate biscuit, the brunette was initially a bit confused by that question.  
**"Me what?"** she asked puzzled. The older sister gave her a somewhat mischievous look, smiling very gloatingly.  
**"You and Master Johnson, what have you done? Don't keep me on my toes you haven't said anything about what you said!"** she explained fantastically **"You didn't even lookout in the corridor to greet him when he entered the house with his other colleagues an hour ago. Something must surely have happened"** Silver blinked her eyes still a bit astonished, as she did at not notice that Mr. William and his colleagues had entered her home? She must have had her head in the clouds...  
**"Actually we just chatted"** admitted the brunette crystalline, but Mary didn't seem to believe her despite her sincerity.  
**"Silver-fox Eisen, don't fool me; something must have happened between you two"**  
**"I swear to you, Mary. He's a very nice man to have a chat, but we're two complete strangers, you can't get too hot moments like you and Ronald in just one night"** Silver-fox explained as he took another sip of tea.  
**"Ronald and I did it though"** Mary commented with a wink.  
**"Yes, because you and Ronald already knew each other! Aah...you will never see me with a man, the important thing is that my father has started to loosen his iron fist on me"** the brunette answered putting a couple of cookies in her mouth with a rude way **"If I had known that to have an ounce of respect I would have had to take a couple of walks with a man of a certain rank, I would have reluctantly done it a long time ago"** older sister looked at her and then rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation.  
**"I think you should have shut your mouth more often, Silver, ever hear the saying that those who look at their business live 100 years?"** she asked, pushing away the tray of cookies since her younger sister had devoured most of them.  
**"And live a century without doing anything constructive and not saying my right opinion? I'd rather die, Mary Eisen"** said Silver crossing his arms over his chest and snorting.  
**"I'm afraid this will be your end if you don't learn to calibrate your proud attitude"** the other admitted putting a hand on her temple and shaking her head in surrender. **  
** There were a few moments of silence when suddenly Silver decided to get up from his chair rather vague.  
**"I'm going to see if Gabrielle has some more of that sour cherry liqueur in the kitchen, I'd say we can't end this tea session without a shot of that"** she offered smiling while Mary nodded back several times with her head **"I'll be right back"** she said as she left the dining room.  
The young brunette headed into the kitchen in search of her booze when the footsteps up the stairs made her momentarily distract her attention from what she was doing.  
**"Then this evening I'll join you at the Green Dragon tavern and discuss future business there"** said Mr. Eisen with a small cough.  
**"Of course, we will look forward to seeing you and your acquaintances will surely help us"** this voice was certainly from Master Kenway. The girl, however, did not lookout to see the guests go out, for some strange reason, and yet she wondered if Mr. Johnson had the idea of looking into the kitchen to say hello, but probably given the presence of the girl's father, the man did not he ventured this time.  
The girl decided not to weigh too much every other gesture that she imagined in her mind, the words of her sister Mary were handling her, she had to compose herself and get her feet back on the ground.

_It was just a walk, everything William Johnson did was out of pure education, she wasn't special, she was just being treated humanely by a white Irish man._

Silver then went back to the dining room with the bottle of cherry liqueur and after taking a sip with his sister, he decided to retire to her room to be able to rest a little. Although the feeling that the young brunette carried in her heart seemed like something unusual, she was pretty sure that her life was slowly turning the page, writing a possibly positive and peaceful chapter. On the other hand she would not have wanted anything else, Silver-fox was convinced that if she continued to undergo all this stress she would find herself bald at 30 as well as spinster.  
She had many projects in mind for the next few weeks, she would have liked to make up for all the time lost outside the home, perhaps walking through some forest and drawing some wild animals, perhaps in the company of her trusty horse Plutarcos. He would have liked to visit the library, read the new books from the old continent, send a letter to Franklin in case there were new updates on the experiments...ah! There was so much to do if the girl hadn't made a big list, she'd have forgotten half of the stuff.  
So she sat down towards the desk opening a drawer to get paper, pen, and inkwell, but again something unusual was present on her writing pad. Another book.  
Her eyes blinked somewhat bewildered and with a small leap from her chair, she dashed to the window. Closed as she had left it, no sign of forcing to enter, so the intruder did not enter from the outside, but from the door, as it was the only access point. If her sister Mary was with her by then in the afternoon and the maids in the kitchen, her mother out shopping and her sisters in bed sick, it meant that the only people under investigation were her father and...his colleagues. Mr. Arthur couldn't be, come on, he himself had forbidden Silver to read, why would he have to give her books, and new ones too?  
So the person who kindly gave her this second book must have known her and knew well when she wasn't around...  
Silver's gaze stopped in the void while her mouth opened a little surprised, not so much for the person, but for her foolishness, how could she not get there before?!  
The girl, therefore, decided to open the book for a second to make sure what the latter was talking about. _"Travel diaries of the Aztec empire, all there is to know about Cortes"_. Silver read a few pages, enraptured by her curiosity, once again there were little notes in some corners, tears of ink, and so on.  
Surely she couldn't wait to devour him in a few days, but now there was something that had priority, and in fact, after putting the little tome on the desk, the young brunette walked very quickly out of her room, afraid almost to fall in a very noisy and hasty way from the stairs.  
**"God in heaven Miss Eisen!"** Gabrielle said noticing the girl going to get her shoes and putting them on without even sitting on the chest **"Where do you go so fast?"**  
**"Business of extreme importance Gabbie"** replied the young girl, grabbing her cloak with a quick gesture **"Can you tell my father that I won't be there for dinner?"** the housekeeper shook her head.  
**"I'm afraid your father has gone out for work reasons"** answered the old woman and Silver then hurried to meet her and give her a kiss on the cheek.  
**"Perfect then I won't have to warn him!"** she said happily running fast and closing the door of the mansion.  
**"WHAT ?! Miss Eisen! Don't make the mistake of last time!"** the woman yelled at her, chasing her for a couple of steps and then surrendered when the damsel had already closed the door **"God lightning me that girl is incorrigible..."** Gabrielle commented, sitting exhausted on the counter bench and waving a handkerchief to catch her breath.  
Silver had just left the Eisen villa and was intent on making a run as fast as lightning, when suddenly she met the family postman, while she was climbing over the fence, with intrepid agility despite her skirt.  
**"Oh my goodness! Miss Eisen shouldn't flutter that skirt like that, some rascal could stretch their eye"** the man told her trying to stop his tired breath, had he run?  
**"I don't think you can see much after the darkness that hits the sky after twilight...what are you doing here Mr. Dalton, I thought you only delivered mail in the morning"** answered the brunette, adjusting her dress, while he adjusted his cap full of badly sewn patches.  
**"I work overtime for extraordinary deliveries, I have to give this to your father, with extreme urgency"**  
**"Give it to me, I know where it is, you won't find it at home"** she proposed grabbing the letter in the hands of the middle-aged man who didn't have time to reply that she slipped away like a gazelle.  
**"Well...thank you very much, miss..."** Mr. Dalton said almost to himself.

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The sky was dark and what illuminated the broad streets of the city of Boston were the lanterns of the taverns and eateries still open in the evening, Silver was aware that the environment for a woman like her was quite dangerous, but that letter would be was the perfect excuse not to be scolded by her father. In the distance, his view caught a large and simple structure no bigger than two floors, with a small open outdoor stable where you could park your horses, there was no doubt, it was the Green Dragone tavern and the rustic shelf with a green dragon hanging. a little rusty was the striking proof.  
Silver stopped for a few moments at the large unadorned solid wood door, with a few long sighs resumed the breath she lacked because of the race, and adjusting her tartan cloak gave a light push with her hand on both doors, in that inn so mysterious and inherent in laughter.  
Silver-fox had never been in a tavern, she believed that perhaps no woman of medium-high rank had ever entered these shacks crowded with drunkards, perhaps prostitutes to give away at a not very indigestible price some hot thighs to caress, for example. anyway from her composed and perhaps not very graceful appearance, the girl was not at all afraid that some man might reach out some inappropriate hand. If they did, the brunette was pretty sure her fist would hit them flawlessly. She still remembered when once, at the age of six she punched Finn in the mouth of the second child of the Donovan family who had dared to call her _"the pet dog of the Eisen family"_ , she remembered making him drop his two front milk teeth...well, at least she had done a good deed, albeit unorthodox in manners.  
A woman with a rather ugly face approached the young Eisen with a smile that probably had the task of bewitching her customers, but on balance it would only bewitch the fools.  
**"Good evening miss, do you need something to eat, drink, or do you need a bed?"** the latter asked while offering a beer to a man at the table and he gave her a loud pat on the butt ... oh my. Silver composed himself clearing his throat, besides what did she want to expect? tea, pastries, and courtly chat?  
**"I was looking for Mr. Kenway...or maybe Mr. Johnson. They told me they were hosted in this tavern"** explained the brunette and the woman gave her a rather strange wink.  
**"Oooh did you come to keep them company? Well, on the other hand, our guests seem so impeccable and rich, I imagined they had equally demanding tastes, even if they could take a white companion lady..."** the woman commented looking at her grimly, Silver squeezed her lips closing and blinking rapidly as if struck by a nervous tic. She was undecided about whether to slap her in that horrible face because she had mistaken her for a prostitute or whether she had just made a racist joke about him.  
**"If your guests have asked for my presence, instead of tapping into the only white woman in this tavern, I imagine that my charm and my character far surpass the social barriers of you foolish beggars"** replied with a small smile the brunette, deciding to play along, then overtaking her with a little push on the shoulder **"I'll be able to find my colleagues by myself"** concluded, before climbing a flight of stairs that led to the second floor and a small mezzanine.  
There were some tables there too, but the only one occupied was in fact what she was looking for, her father was at the head of the table with Mr. Kenway, both had their backs to her, on either side were William and Hickey, on the other the two new ones arrived. Mr. Johnson seemed the least engrossed in speech and when his eyes spotted the little intruder, his mouth opened a few millimeters, was he surprised?  
The girl decided to ignore the gaze and walk towards the table, but a large and strong enough hand grabbed her arm and stopped her.  
**"Miss Eisen? Where do you think you're going?"** Charles Lee's voice made her look away with a small defiant smile.  
**"Do you want a little drawing Charles?"** she asked ironically, where else could she go if not to the one occupied table?  
**"You can't stay here"** he admonished, frowning nervously.  
**"Silver? What-"** the young woman's father turned really shocked and exasperated towards her **"Just give me a reason why-"** Silver preceded him taking the famous letter out of her skirt pocket and the man actually seemed to calm down, what was it written so important?  
**"Mr. Dalton, he told me it was important, but since you weren't at home then I thought about bringing it, as it is important"** she explained as Charles handed the letter to Mr. Eisen, thus releasing her arm.  
**"You could have told him to join me here"** Arthur Eisen commented.  
**"You're welcome, father"** she replied ironically, was she really so naïve as to believe that her father would thank her? Foolish.  
**"Well, now go home, there's nothing else that needs to keep you here"** the foster father told her, sitting down with his back to him.  
**"Wait-"** she said, earning a slightly exasperated look from all the men present **"I have to ask Mr. Johnson something..."** she said hesitantly, while the man questioned raised his eyebrows slightly surprised while hiding a small smile in his beard.  
**"You'll ask him again, now disappear Silver and let the men work"** the girl had to count to a thousand not to send that arid old man to get fucked, while William gave her a sympathetic look, but maybe somehow she was saying he would like to speak to her at another time.  
**"Have a good evening gentlemen, try not to drink too much, I smell alcohol in here"** she finally said with a small arrogant smile coming down the stairs, getting a scowl from Church and Hickey.

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 **"Mr. Johnson, here you are"** Silver said after clearing her throat with a gentle, gentlemanly gesture **"Finally some time alone, I urgently need-"** the brunette stopped suddenly looking at the empty to do lost and then shake her head and turn his heels almost offended, by itself if nothing else.  
**"Urgently?"** she always asked grabbing the brush to groom her horse Plutarcos, her faithful steed and companion of mysterious adventures in the woods, but apparently also more than trusted adviser to Silver-Fox Eisen **"I'm not so desperate as to urge his presence"** she muttered with her usual proud way, approaching her beloved animal, who as soon as he felt the girl's velvety hand touch his muzzle, did not hesitate to give her a light blow on the face making her back a couple of steps. In response, she gave a slight start even though she was no longer surprised by the reactions of Plutarcos, _too wise to be a quadruped_.  
**"What?"** she asked already knowing the answer, then rolled her eyes and began to take a few strands of the horse's mane and began combing away the grim knots like a swallow's nest **"I know what you're thinking...I should behave in a way more mature and less loaded"** she said switching to another group of locks mixed between vanilla white and rusty brown **"But you know me, old buddy. Men are so hateful. You're too pretty, they take advantage of it. If you're too much haughty and proud, they cut your way with the delicacy of a bear chasing poachers"** another lock **"But I...I don't know what to do...well, why? why did he do this for me? A man does not hold out his hand out of pure kindness, a man holds out his hand for your dowry, for your father's money, after all he is William Johnson...a fairly rich merchant, will he want to marry me? Wants to grab a young damsel to have nights wild, and my father's sure blessing so que Will the stinking old man want to get rid of me?!"** the horse moved abruptly again muttering irritably, she had to stay calm, she was mumbling, too many ideas on her mind.  
But why was the confused girl so damning herself? Well, apparently Mr. Arthur Eisen's co-workers had taken pains to perform a heroic deed that week, he had freed indigenous tribes from the iron grip of a slaver with no morals. Slavery, unbeknownst to the colonies and the crown, what if not more vile action. It is true, this heroic act will certainly have involved the killing of some men, soldiers, young people traveling to the new continent where their families perhaps still did not know of their death and every evening until the painful letter arrived, they prayed for the protection of their young children who _"with dedication and courage"_ offered to protect the king's colonies. Yet these deaths did not displease Silver, she was convinced that those soldiers had a choice in the face of the tyranny of their commander, a voice was a siby, an angry chorus could be threatening and make the same difference, stained with silence in the opinion of she was worse than being caught negotiating innocent people who have no weapons and no say with which to defend themselves.  
That evening her family had decided to organize a party to thank the group of men for their courage, since they were also the only ones to have a fairly large and welcoming mansion available. Silver knew that nobody cared about those poor Mohawks, her adoptive father just wanted to curry favor with the men who had promised him an archaeological dig that would enrich him more than he already was, as if fame had saved him from old age either death, or he would have pointed it out more by a mass of ignorant colonial peasants.  
The brunette, after having brushed her horse well, made a soft braid on his mane, and then caressly caressed the quadruped's neck, resting her forehead, near his hairy and dappled head.  
**"Tomorrow we will go for a ride and I will tell you everything...although honestly I would prefer to forget what it will be tonight as we ride the scrub near the coast"  
**The sun was going down, and she too would have to decide what dress to wear, what mask to fall on her face.

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A deja-vu, that's what Silver was thinking as she watched some people chat around the fireplace, people dancing, Rachel, who after she was released from her fever, was playing the harpsichord, Judith who with a glass of fruity red wine in her left hand, was talking of who knows what with Mr. Hickey who was looking only at the generous breast of her step-sister ( God said to create similar people to mate them, maybe Judith deserved dull men like her ), Mary who seemed to have regained the use of her poor ankle was doing a hand-to-hand group dance with her beloved Mr. Abelson, the adoptive father who talked business with Master Kenway and other high-ranking men and polite speeches.  
The brunette was with one shoulder leaning on the wide entrance to the living room, with an empty glass in her hand where she had poured some cranberry juice, pretending like a child it was wine, it was all so similar to Domitillah Ollivander's party, only it smelled less of smoke and noise and there was no sign of a secluded greenhouse or the infamous William Johnson. The air was slightly heavy on her nostrils and that sense of inability to blend with the rest of the crowd she didn't know if it was a quality or a defect. Maybe getting a breath of fresh air would make the brunette's mind clearer and more ready to organize an appropriate attack plan, that damned Irishman was there, she had to figure out where.  
Going out the back door, which led to the garden and a long wooden platform where people could shelter from any weather, Silver sat on the edge, next to the stairs, letting her comfortable boots rest on the soft grassy ground, perhaps moist with the foam of the sea that the wind carried from the east.  
Her mind was still noisy, although outside those noises seemed damn far from her ears. The range of possibilities as to how she could have had a conversation with her suspected book donor was as vast as the veins of a leaf or a butterfly, each word seemed to have a certain weight and if she over-dosed one of them she it would have made a terrible mess.  
**"Something told me I'd find you here"** that voice, that tone of a perfect friendly merchant who knew how to sell you nonsense as if it were as precious as a diadem, as a good diplomat and a good haranger, yes, William Johnson knew perfectly how to dance between words without overdoing it, perhaps Silver should have learned from him...perhaps.  
The brunette after a few moments of hesitation turned her curious gaze, smiling a small cordial smile, at the man who returned it with a satisfied expression of a wolf who had found a rabbit.  
**"Mr. Johnson"** she said politely, getting up from where she was, it would be rude to turn her back after all.  
**"Miss Eisen"** he said with a small nod, he seemed so relaxed.  
**"So you were looking for me?"** she asked crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow, the man hid a smile under his full beard, taking a light sip of whiskey.  
**"Wrong"** he said looking at the horizon **"It is you who were looking for me"** she opened her mouth in response and then closed it and flattened it into a thin line, old and crafty wolf ...  
**"And yet...it was you who found me, I'm afraid I don't understand what you're saying"** she justified herself already feeling her pride reproaching her for having been too obvious when she was looking for him among the guests.  
**"Don't you remember?"** he asked almost disappointed **"The Green Dragon. You said that before leaving you wanted to ask me something, I admit that curiosity has made me get a worm in my head that made me look for an answer"** explained the man putting a hand in his pocket. Silver had thought and imagined various ways of how to start that damn talk with the Irish, yet all those choices seemed so stupid and meaningless, perhaps William's encouragement and experience that had prompted him to initiate the speech himself. it was as bad as a possibility, even though the brunette blamed herself for not having the guts to take the lead.  
**"Q _ui dedit benificium taceat; narrat qui accepit"_** she began with a Latin phrase, looking up at the blue eyes of the man in front of her, who at first glanced puzzled and perplexed **"be silent who has done a good deed; tell who received it"** the brunette gently pointed out, translating the phrase **"Latin sayings can contain in a few words a well-constructed speech of a haranger, perhaps that's why people continue to study it today"** Mr. Johnson sent a slight lump to his throat, not he was quite surprised at having been exposed by the young lady, but he seemed to be even more amazed at how learned and full of knowledge the girl before him was.  
**"So, are you the man who left me those two beautiful books in my room?"** Silver asked at that point, placing her arms on her chest while her tone was soft and calm as floating clouds. The man then made a theatrical grimace of defeat with a little smirk of a perfect gentleman.  
**"I hope the gallows is not worth it"** he commented amused and then compose himself **"Yes, you guessed it, Miss Eisen. I'm just amazed that it took you so long to guess it"** he said taking another sip of his drink.  
**"Forgive me, but you know that accusing someone is an action that if taken hastily can cause serious consequences. What made me hesitate is ... why? What prompted you to do this for me? I don't even know you that well"** there was almost a hint of hostility in the brunette's last question, perhaps because she wanted to discourage the man in case the latter went into some pre-marital discourse.  
**"Sharp observation. Well, but before I tell you my answer, I would like to know what possible endings or ideas your elaborate mind has elaborated"** on hearing that proposal the girl bit her lower lip a little tense, oh dear, she was asking maybe to confess what doubts she had about him? True, Silver had several ideas about why William Johnson had approached her in such a peculiar way...but frankly it was a moment of weakness or decency, she hesitated.  
**"It's true I have them"** she admitted slightly raised her chin with a pedantic, while he looked at her curiously **"But...as I said accusing without proof is an action with serious repercussions, so enlighten me for once"  
****"If somehow my intentions could have upset you I apologize, Lass. But believe me if I tell you that in case your intuitions were wrong, the only thing I could do is have a laugh on it, the alcohol helps and yours. frankness entertains me gladly"** explained Johnson calmly and then leaned his back against the wooden wall of the house, an action which Silver, however, rested her back on a column next to the small flight of stairs that led to the large garden.  
**"Are you flirting with me?"** the girl asked frankly, swallowing all the fear in the depths of her heart, while her face was painted with her usual expression, cheeky and unscratchable, just the one the man saw the first evening, at dinner at Villa Eisen, while she was discussing reckless with her father.  
**"I beg your pardon, lass?"** Johnson asked, pursing his lips in a thin line, in a vain attempt to suppress a laugh.  
**"Well...you give me books, you greet me every time you leave my house, you always talk to my father, you also offer to take me home after the Ollivander ball and keep talking to me"** William continued to look at her as if in front of him there was a funny theatrical comedy going on and Silver, on the other hand, began the hateful feeling in his stomach of being saying some great bullshit **"Well...no man would ever talk to me, no one in short, look at me, my sisters are the ones with the real dowry, I...you probably want to ask my father for the hand because you would know that he would not hesitate to barter me...isn't it? "**  
**"Oh dear..."** the man narrowed his eyes and put a hand to his forehead, giggling **"I had a distinct foreboding that there might be the possibility that you would have misunderstood my possibilities, but..."** his smile seemed a little disappointed, the brunette noticed **"Lass, you really painted me as a heartless monster"** there was a hint of truth in his joke, she could hear, as she had undestand before, William was absolutely good at making people feel what he was feeling expressing, which she was unable to do.  
**"I...I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to be-"** but the girl was interrupted by William who, after finishing his whiskey, cleared his throat.  
**"There's no need, lass"** he said **"I'm just sorry that your social experiences before me have somehow fueled this defensive sense of questioning actions that are completely unrelated to economic or marital profit, if the term it's more familiar to you"** he explained shaking his head, how the hell could he always remain so...calm and polite? Silver was certain that if another man heard her humiliating repertoire, he would surely send her to fuck himself or worse still he would insult her with some pearl of " _racist wisdom_ ".  
**"I told you that, if you had given me time, I would have made your one-way railway and with only one stop, a road full of new destinations"** continued the man scratching his beard under his chin, taking a few steps towards the young woman, who was now looking at him very closely **"What I'm trying to tell you, Miss Eisen, is that you are a girl who knows her stuff and for sure I bet you are the only woman in the house who still remembers what she learned from her private teacher as well as all those books you read. Your father, yes, is a great support if only for finance, but let's face it, for what we are not doing, your father is elderly and no longer has the body or the mind to walk at our pace"** maybe the girl had somehow guessed what the Irishman was saying, but she was so excited and confused at the same time that she decided to shut up and let him finish talking **"You said you can understand Kanien ' kehàka also...in short, what I want to offer you is a job"** that sudden and expected conclusion, made the brunette's heart jump out of her ribcage, so much so that she raised both eyebrows, she wanted to start jumping like a crazy hare or screaming like a ' euphoric eagle, but he decided to schair his voice and say:  
**"And what should my services be concerned with?"**  
**"Translations, reading of new archaeological finds. In short, you will work alongside me to be able to contribute to the research of Master Kenway"** explained the man.  
**"And how much will I be paid?"**  
**"We will discuss this later, in any case I have already made sure that the gain can be substantial, in case your skill can help us"**  
**"There are requests, though"** the girl said, raising a hand from her chest slightly, while the man looked at her curiously.  
**"Well, you can tell me but...I can't guarantee that all of them will be paid off, I have to discuss it with my colleagues"  
"In case the searches are successful, I want my name to be written among the people who participated in the project, I want to have a say in how much a man and equal rights in this case and finally I want a padlock"** Johnson made a somewhat perplexed expression not so much for the woman's desire to reclaim her rights - which he finally appreciated very much - but for the last one.  
**"A...padlock?"** he asked even more confused when the brunette nodded confidently more than ever.  
**"I appreciate your gifts for their rarity, wisdom and costliness, Master Jonhson. But you see I could still accuse you of entering my bedroom, so to bring you back on the right path of private property, I would like to put a lock on my door"** she explained with a sly and satisfied smile, while William seemed to melt away from the initial tension caused by the confusion and with a small laugh the man nodded, looking into her eyes.  
**"With a hint of regret, I will get it for you, along with the promise that I will never enter your room without permission"** he replied putting both of his large, calloused hands forward in surrender.

Although in her heart the young woman felt that some chains, which imprisoned her to that life so pompous and boring, were unfastening, there were still many tests to overcome, among them, to acquire the trust and respect of her future colleagues **.  
**


End file.
